US Merchant Marine
Service No: Z 386487
Award: Mariners Medal
Address of Record: North Dartmouth, MA
On Jan 8, 1944, Jr. Engineer LESLIE NORMAN BARRY was on board the SS Sumner I. Kimball, an American steam merchant, as it left Loch Ewe, Scotland with convoy ON-219, bound for New York. The ship, a Liberty ship, had been built the year before.
On the morning of Jan 16, the steamer straggled from convoy in mid-ocean, probably due to bad weather and heavy seas. That evening, German submarine U-960 spotted the ship about 900 miles east of Belle Isle Strait and began chasing it. After being hit by one torpedo and missed by two others, the ship tried unsuccessfully to ram the U-boat. Two more torpedoes were fired, both hit amidships, but the steamer stayed afloat. An hour later the Sumner I. Kimball broke in two but still did not sink. Although U-960 searched for survivors none were found. Next day, the U-boat found the forward section and sank it. The stern was found by HMS Forester H-74 and it, too, was finally sunk. A distress signal had been received but neither U-960 nor the Forester reported seeing any survivors, lifeboats or rafts.
There were 39 Merchant Mariners and 30 US Navy Armed Guards on board; none survived.
Service No: Z 386487
Award: Mariners Medal
Address of Record: North Dartmouth, MA
On Jan 8, 1944, Jr. Engineer LESLIE NORMAN BARRY was on board the SS Sumner I. Kimball, an American steam merchant, as it left Loch Ewe, Scotland with convoy ON-219, bound for New York. The ship, a Liberty ship, had been built the year before.
On the morning of Jan 16, the steamer straggled from convoy in mid-ocean, probably due to bad weather and heavy seas. That evening, German submarine U-960 spotted the ship about 900 miles east of Belle Isle Strait and began chasing it. After being hit by one torpedo and missed by two others, the ship tried unsuccessfully to ram the U-boat. Two more torpedoes were fired, both hit amidships, but the steamer stayed afloat. An hour later the Sumner I. Kimball broke in two but still did not sink. Although U-960 searched for survivors none were found. Next day, the U-boat found the forward section and sank it. The stern was found by HMS Forester H-74 and it, too, was finally sunk. A distress signal had been received but neither U-960 nor the Forester reported seeing any survivors, lifeboats or rafts.
There were 39 Merchant Mariners and 30 US Navy Armed Guards on board; none survived.
US Merchant Marine
Service No: Z 386487
Award: Mariners Medal
Address of Record: North Dartmouth, MA
On Jan 8, 1944, Jr. Engineer LESLIE NORMAN BARRY was on board the SS Sumner I. Kimball, an American steam merchant, as it left Loch Ewe, Scotland with convoy ON-219, bound for New York. The ship, a Liberty ship, had been built the year before.
On the morning of Jan 16, the steamer straggled from convoy in mid-ocean, probably due to bad weather and heavy seas. That evening, German submarine U-960 spotted the ship about 900 miles east of Belle Isle Strait and began chasing it. After being hit by one torpedo and missed by two others, the ship tried unsuccessfully to ram the U-boat. Two more torpedoes were fired, both hit amidships, but the steamer stayed afloat. An hour later the Sumner I. Kimball broke in two but still did not sink. Although U-960 searched for survivors none were found. Next day, the U-boat found the forward section and sank it. The stern was found by HMS Forester H-74 and it, too, was finally sunk. A distress signal had been received but neither U-960 nor the Forester reported seeing any survivors, lifeboats or rafts.
There were 39 Merchant Mariners and 30 US Navy Armed Guards on board; none survived.
Service No: Z 386487
Award: Mariners Medal
Address of Record: North Dartmouth, MA
On Jan 8, 1944, Jr. Engineer LESLIE NORMAN BARRY was on board the SS Sumner I. Kimball, an American steam merchant, as it left Loch Ewe, Scotland with convoy ON-219, bound for New York. The ship, a Liberty ship, had been built the year before.
On the morning of Jan 16, the steamer straggled from convoy in mid-ocean, probably due to bad weather and heavy seas. That evening, German submarine U-960 spotted the ship about 900 miles east of Belle Isle Strait and began chasing it. After being hit by one torpedo and missed by two others, the ship tried unsuccessfully to ram the U-boat. Two more torpedoes were fired, both hit amidships, but the steamer stayed afloat. An hour later the Sumner I. Kimball broke in two but still did not sink. Although U-960 searched for survivors none were found. Next day, the U-boat found the forward section and sank it. The stern was found by HMS Forester H-74 and it, too, was finally sunk. A distress signal had been received but neither U-960 nor the Forester reported seeing any survivors, lifeboats or rafts.
There were 39 Merchant Mariners and 30 US Navy Armed Guards on board; none survived.
